Plate-steel speed ring for hydraulic turbines



Dec. 3l, 1929. H. sYvERTsr-:N 1,741,254

PLATE STEEL SPEED RING FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINES Filed Sept. 1 6, 1927 5Sheets-#Sheet 1 Dec. 31, 1929.` H. sYvER'rsEN PLATE STEEL SPEED RINGFOR- HYDRAULIC TURBINBS Filed Sept. 16. '1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 31,-1,929. H. sYvERTsEN PLATE STEEL SPEED RING FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINES FiledSept. 16, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

mi i Patented Dec. 3l, 1929 PATENT OFFICE HARALD SYVERTSEN, OF YORK,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T S. MORGAN SMITH COMPANY, INC., 0F YORK,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA PLATE-STEEL SPEED RING FORHYDRAULIC TURBINES Application led September 16, 1927. 4Serial No.219,972.

rlhis invention relates to turbine installa` serve the necessarystrength and strain res1s tance of the parts or casing of the turbinewheels or runners.

A further object of the invention is to economically and effectivelyassemble the plate sheet steel parts in the formation of the improvedspeed ring and to utilize to the best advantage, in the manufacture andassembly of the several parts, plate sheet steel as it comes from therolling mills in standard plates or forms.

lt will be understood that the sheet metal speed ring embodying thefeatures of the invention can be used as well with concrete scroll casesas with plate sheet steel cases, or it can be used where especiallyrigid structures are desired, Vfor open flume or pressure flumehydraulic turbine settings.

The invention. consists essentially of the construction and arrangementof the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of a hydraulicturbine setting with the scroll casing and draft tube and lowerassociated structure broken away, illustrating one form of the improvedplate sheet steel speed ring installation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of a portion of theinstallation and particularly showing the form of the speed ringillustrated by Fig. 1, parts of the turbine mechanism shown in Fig. 1being omitted.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sections of portions of theturbine structure similar to Fig. 2, and particularly showingmodifications in the assembly of the improved plate sheet steel speedring.

` The numeral 5 designates the general structure of the turbine casewith which is associated a'scroll case 6 which may be formed of platesheet steel, cast metal or concrete, the specific structural connectionof this scroll case being immaterial so far as the effectiveness ofstructure and function of the improved plate sheetsteel speed ring isconcerned. lVithin the turbine casing 5 is a runner or wheel A of theFrancis type attached to the lower end of a shaft 7. With the runner andthe improved speed ring a series of wicket gates 8 are associated, asusual, to serve as water inlet controls. It will be obvious that thewater inlet controls may be in the form of cylinder gate means. hewicket gates 8, as shown, will be provided with the ordinary or wellknown operating means 9 to control the operation there of. The improvedplate steel speed ring can also be used with the runner removed and thestructure may be-used with wicket gate orr cylinder gate control cases,as a discharge casing or valve. All of these variations will not in theleast affect the features of the invention and are obvious changes wellknown applied vto the present turbine installation and it, together withthe structure adjacent thereto, are shown as partially broken away. Thedraft tube may be of any of the well known types and formed of platesheet steel, cast metal or concrete. n

The features just referred to, except the plate steel speed ring, arewell known in the lart of turbine installations, and may be varied, ormodified in accordance with the usual practice in turbine installations.

As shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the speed ring is composed of an upper plate11 of which the inner periphery is welded, as at 12, to a standard sizebar iron 13 circularly bent and terminally welded. The upper ring orplate 11 cooperates with a lower ring 14, and between the upper andlower rings 11 and 141-, guide vanes 15 are interposed and connected.

strength to the structure.

The rings 11 and 14 are bent upwardly and downwardly, respectively, nearthe outer peripheries thereof, as shown, and the guide vanes 15 arepreferably curved along a section cut by a plane at right angles to theaxis of the turbine, and are formed of steel plates ot such thickness asmay be required. rlfhe guide rings may be shaped as found necessary, andconstructed as to strength and durability in accordance with hydraulicconditions or loads to be sustained. The lower ring or plate 14 issupported by a vertical ring 16, a horizontal ring 17, a lower verticalring 18 and a horizontal supportingtlange 19. In connection with thelower structure comprising the rings 14, 16, 17, 18 and langes 19 thereare a number of ribs 2O which are arranged radially to add stillness andSimilar ribs may also be applied to the top ring 11, as at 21. Incutting the parts from the sheets as they come from the rolling mill instandard plates or forms, the most economical procedure is adapted. Forexample, the horizontal ring 17 can be cut from the same sheet as thelower ring 14, or, possibly :trom the same sheet as the upper ring 11.The guide vanes 15 and the ribs 20, as well as the ribs 21, may be cutfrom the inside ot the sheets used Jfor the rings 11 and 14 or the rings17 and 19. All of the rings, both those vertically and thosehorizontally disposed, will be welded together as at to form one solidstructure, and Fig. 1 shows the runner with its gate case inside ot thespeed ring, and also illustrates a part of the sheet steel scrollconnected to the speed ring.

In the improved construction the lower structure or element, built up asherein specified, forms anY enclosing ring for the bottom band 6 of therunner, and a removable bottoml plate 22 seated on the horizontal ring17 forms the actual water joint 23 with the runner band, and is secured,as by bolts, to the speed ring. tore, be anchored or embedded in' theconcrete, and, when the speed ring is so anchored or embedded, thebottom plate 22, when worn by the scouring action of the water orotherwise damaged, can be removed, and can also be removed when it isdesired to take out the runner. The cast metal bottom plate 22 alsoserves as a lower support tor the wicket gates 8 and, since it is madeseparate, and in view ot its capability of easy removal and renewal, ismaterially advantageous. The metal speed ring is subject to little or nowear, and is adapted to be embedded in the concrete.

Figs. 8, 4 and 5 illustrate modilications ot the improved structure, andall embody the upper and lower rings 11 and 14, the stationary guidevanes 15, the cast metal bottom plate and the ribs 20, these similarparts being indicated by like reference characters. in Fig. 3 acircularly bent channel iron 24 The speed ring' can thereis shown in theplace oit' the standard bar iron 13, and such other changes that arenecessary in the top structure .ot the turbine casing are ring' in thismodiiied structure is formed by supporting the plate 14 by a verticalring 2G which is, in turn, supported by a circularly bent channel iron27, and the ring' 11 has associated therewith a plate steel sheet scroll28.

ln Fig. 4 the sneed ring is shown as associated with a concrete scrollcase 29, and the ring formed oi" standard bar iron 13 shown in Figurelis replaced by a circularly-bent angle iron 30. The lower plate or ring14 is shown as supported by a vertical ring 31, and the latter in turnis shown as supported by a horizontal ring 32 which is welded to andsupported by a circularly bent channel iron ln the speed ring is shownas associated with a cast metal scroll case 34, the upper part ot thespeed ring being constructed substantially as shown by Figs. 1 and 2,and the lower part ot the speed ring having` the lower plate or ring 14supported directly by a circularly bent channel iron 35 and on this iswelded, riveted or otherwise fastened a cirularly bent angle iron 36 ofwhich the horizontal flange supports the bottom plate 22. y

1n all the structures disclosed the upper and lower rings 11 and 14 arecurved at their outer extremities to provide smooth passages -for thewater. rllhe'se passages gradually decrease in area, in the direction oftlow, to increase the velocity of the water in eilicient manner. rllhevelocity in the plate steel, concrete or cast metal scroll with whichthe improved plate metal speed ring is associated is lower than thevelocity between the guide vanes of the speed ring, and, therefore, tohave the least losses in Jfriction and the leastdisturbanc it isnecessary to increase the velocity as gradually and smoothly aspossible. The velocity ot the water, after passing between the vanes otthe speed ring is increased as the `water passes between the gates 8 ofthe turbine. One ot the important features ot the present improvement isthat, since the bottom plate 22, whether it be mounted in concrete or ina metal structure, is formed separately trom such structure and,theretore, may be readily removed. This is important in view ot the tactthat this bottom plate is subjected to excessive wear, whereas the platemetal speed ring is subjected to little or no wear and may be embeddedin concrete when such form of installation is adopted. iurthermore, inthe improved structure in its `various terms, cast or heavy metal partsare replaced by a lighter metallic structure without decreasing thenecessary strength and strain resistance. Moreover, the improved metalspeed ring is advantageous in that it can be used with a concrete scrollas well as with a plate steel scroll, or it can be used where especiallyrigid structures are desired.-

The bottom plate Q2, as shown by Fig. 3, is provided at its outer edgewith a depending extension 22 to accommodate the particular' mounting ofthe channel iron 27, this channel iron replacing the horizontal ring 17,vertical ring 18 and lower horizontal supporting fiange 19, shown by Fig. 1. In the modification shown by Fig. 1, the horizontal ring 52 andvertical ring 31 correspond, respectively, tc the horizontal ring 17 andvertical ring 31 of Figure 1, and the vertical web of the channel iron33, which supports the horizontal ring 32, corresponds to the verticalring 18 or Figure 1. In the modification shown by Fig. 5 the parts 16,17, 18 and 19 shown in Fig. 1, are replaced, respectively, by thechannel iron 35 and the angle ir-on 36, the latter supporting the bottomplate 22. In all of the structures shown, as heretofore indicated, thebottom plate 22 is removable and the upper and lower rings or plates 11and 14 of the speed ring are similar in construction and possess theadvantages heretofore explained.

lNhat is claimed as new is 1. In a turbine installation, the combinationwith a casing, a runner mounted therein, a scroll and means forcontrolling the entrance of water to the runner, of upper and lowerplates with outwardly curved ends secured to the scroll and having vanesfixed therebetween, a standard metal bar welded to the upper plate, abottom plate associated with the lower plate, and a supporting structurebelow the bottom plate and the lower plate of the speed ring.

2. In a turbine installation, the combination with a casing, a runnermounted within the casing, a scroll, and means for controlling the inletof water to the runner, of a speed ring of plate sheet steel and havingupper and lower plates with interposed vanes connected thereto, aeircularly bent bar weld" ed to the upper plate, a removable bottomplate under the means for controlling the entrance of water to therunner, the bottom plate being connected to the lower plate of the speedring, and a supporting structure below the said bottoni plate and thelower plate of the speed ring and having angularly disposed components.

3. In a turbine installation of the class specified, the combinationwith a casing, a runner having a bottom band mounted therein, a scrolland means for controlling the inlet of water to the runner, of a speedring comprising upper and lower plates with outwardly curved treminalsconnected to the scroll and having vanes therebetween, a circularly bentmetal band secured to the upper plate, a bottom plate below the saidmeans for controlling the entrance of water to the runner and secured tothe lower plate of the speed ring, and a supporting structure below thebottom plate and lower plate of the speed ring and consisting ofangularly disposed members, the bottom structure torming an enclosingmeans for the bottom band of' the runner and the bottom plate formingthe actual water oint with the said runner band.

4. In a turbine installation ot' the character specified, thecombination with a casing, a runner having a bottom band mountedtherein, a scroll, and wicket gates for controlling the inlet of waterto the runner, of a speed ring located outside of the wicket gates andincluding upper and lower plates which have their outer extremitiescurved and flared and secured to the scroll and vanes therebetween, acircularly bent metal bar to which the inner periphery of the upperplate is secured, a removable bottom plate having its inner peripheryadjacent to the runner and forming with the band of the latter theactual water joint and serving to also support the wicket gates, and asupporting structure below the said bottom plate and the lower plate ofthe speed ring and having members disposed at angles to each. other.

5. In aturbine installation of the class specified, the combination witha casing, a runner having a bottom band mounted therein, a scroll, andwicket gates controlling the inlet of water to the runner, of a speedringformed of plate sheet steel and comprising upper and lower plateswith outwardly curved divergent terminals associated with the scroll andvanes therebetween, a circularly bent metal bar secured to the upperplate, a removable bottom plate associated with the lower plate andhaving its inner periphery adjacent to the bottom band of the runner andforming a lower support for the wicket gates, and a structural platesheet steel support below the lower plate of the speed ring and saidbottom plate consisting of a vertical ring, a horizontal ring, a secondvertical ring, and a lower horizontal ring, all connected, the upper andlower plates of the speed ring also having radially arranged ribsconnected to the said structure. l V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARALD SYVERTSEN.

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